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Depending on which historical version you believe, the origin of Father’s Day was based on the same premise – since there was a special day to honor mothers, father ought to have a day, also.
Sonora Smart Dodd is the name most associated with the origin of the special day. Dodd was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909 when she came up with the idea. Her own father was the inspiration behind the idea. He was a Civil War veteran who raised six children on his own after his wife died.

Our economy is chugging along and will continue to do so for a while. That’s what a national economist told Lancaster County residents last month.
That bit of information was no real revelation for any of us. The signs of a sluggish economy – a stagnant real estate market with an abundance of homes for sale (many foreclosed), county unemployment rate of about 13.9 percent and an increase in numbers of people who need help with life’s basic needs – have been apparent for while. And it doesn’t appear to be getting better anytime soon.

Say or hear the initials “C.B.” and quite likely the next name to come to mind, or be spoken, is Mathis.
C.B. Mathis became a household name not only in Lancaster, but also across the region and the nation.
“The name ‘C.B.’ became known, not only throughout our town, but throughout parts of the nation,” said Tim Martin, who along with Mathis co-owned the real estate company C.O.R.E. Realty.
Mathis, a Lancaster native, died late last month, leaving a legacy of success in real estate as well as the world of pageantry.

The 2010-11 school term has been an award-winning year for the Indian Land area schools.
Earlier this spring, Indian Land High School earned a pair of Palmetto Gold awards. Those honors were quite a coup for academic success at the Lancaster County Panhandle Class AA high school.
Now Indian Land Middle School is in the spotlight again with its second national award.

It’s easy to let your safety guard down right now. After all, it is summer. School’s out. The beach, rivers and pools beckon. The longer days allow more time for outdoor activities – like boating, riding motorcycles and pursuing great adventures on all-terrain vehicles.

Take a good look at this week’s Graduation 2011 special section. It’s full of the graduates from all four county high schools, as well as Carolina Christian Academy.
In each school’s section, you’ll read about their top scholars, who will address their classmates as valedictorian and salutatorian at graduation ceremonies – today for the four county schools and June 3 for Carolina Christian.

Each May, a week is set aside to say thanks to teachers in our community.
Buford education legend Corbett Carnes, who has been retired some 38 years, still draws plenty of praise even though his days in the classroom have long been completed.
Fittingly enough, Carnes, who died earlier this month, is well-remembered for the impact he had on education in the eastern Lancaster County community.

The Lancaster County School District’s recent Celebration of Excellence honored 258 students and 24 retirees and featured the induction of three new members into the LCSD’s Education Hall of Fame.
The trio included Atlee Brown, W.C. Lewis and Charlene McGriff. All three were dedicated servants to the district for a number of years.

Lancaster County employees have a “new boss” today. It’s Brooklyn Springs Elementary School first-grader Nathan Gibson.
Nathan will spend the day with Lancaster County Administrator Steve Willis, after winning the grand prize in “The Veteran in Your Life” essay contest. Nathan, a student in Rena Cunningham’s class, chose to write about his “big brother,” U.S. Army medic Dwayne “Big Mac” Mackey.